USS Acubens (AKS-5)

Acubens (AKS-5) was laid down under a Maritime Commission contract (MCE hull 1935) on 25 November 1943 by the Delta Shipbuilding Co., New Orleans, La.; launched on 8 January 1944; sponsored by Mrs. J. A. Farrington; acquired by the Navy on 9 February 1944; converted for naval service by Todd-Johnson Drydocks, Inc., New Orleans; and commissioned on 15 July 1944, Comdr. Edward B. Ellis in command.

Following shakedown out of Norfolk, Va., and a short run to New York City, Acubens sailed for the Panama Canal on 8 September and entered the Pacific. The ship dropped anchor at Hollandia, New Guinea, on 25 October and remained there until 10 November issuing stores to vessels of Task Force 76. On the 10th, Acubens transported a load of ammunition to Brisbane, Australia. The ship left Australia on 13 December bound for the Philippines and reached Leyte on the 21st.

Acubens remained based in the Philippines for the duration of the war. Her routine consisted of loading stores at Milne Bay, New Guinea; proceeding to Manus Island to load more provisions, then steaming back to the Philippines to distribute her cargo. Acubens departed the Philippines on 25 November 1945, bound via Pearl Harbor for the California coast.

The stores ship arrived at San Francisco on 22 December. Shortly thereafter, work was begun to prepare the ship for decommissioning. Acubens got underway on 18 January 1946 to return to Pearl Harbor, where she was to be laid up. Acubens was decommissioned on 11 March 1946 and was struck from the Navy list on 17 July 1947. The ship was then transferred to the Maritime Commission for disposal.[1]